Looking at the menu before you arrive can help you make good choices. Don't be afraid to ask your server how the food is prepared. Being careful of what you eat is a key to preventing heartburn. Avoid trigger foods, don't eat too much, and don't eat too quickly. When you lie down, stomach contents press harder against the LES.
This can trigger reflux. Some ways to avoid this include:. When you lie flat your stomach contents press against the LES. Keeping your head higher than your stomach helps reduce this pressure. Clothing that fits tightly around the abdomen can trigger heartburn. Tight belts and waistbands can squeeze the stomach and force food against the LES. This can make the stomach contents reflux. There are lots of good reasons to quit smoking.
Smoking can cause many health problems, and heartburn is one of them. This is especially true if you have GERD. These are some of the ways smoking can trigger heartburn:. Alcohol increases the amount of acid the stomach produces. It also relaxes the LES. If you drink, try these tips:. Stress itself hasn't been shown to cause heartburn. It can, however, lead to behaviors that trigger heartburn.
When you are stressed you may not follow your normal routines. You may not eat, exercise, or take medications according to your regular schedule. This disruption can trigger heartburn.
Finding ways to alleviate the stress can help. Try relaxation methods like:. Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions.
There are things you can do to help keep heartburn at bay. Avoid eating habits that may trigger reflux, such as eating fatty foods, drinking too much alcohol, eating too quickly, and eating large meals. Avoid lying down after a meal and try to sleep in a reclined position. Smoking, stress, and wearing tight clothes are some other habits that may make heartburn worse.
Get nutrition tips and advice to make healthy eating easier. They can help identify underlying causes for your heartburn and an appropriate treatment plan. There are many ways you may be able to prevent occasional heartburn or reduce the frequency of chronic heartburn. If you have heartburn more than twice a week or if it interferes with your life, talk to your doctor.
You may have gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD. Heartburn is a symptom of GERD. Unlike occasional heartburn, GERD is defined by having heartburn or other reflux-related symptoms at least twice a week. It can range from mild to severe. In addition to heartburn, GERD symptoms can include:. Frequent heartburn may be a sign that there is constant irritation to the lining of the esophagus. Too much irritation to the esophagus for extended periods of time can lead to ulceration as well as to precancerous and cancerous changes to the esophagus.
If your heartburn is severe or occurs often, see your doctor. GERD often improves with lifestyle changes or medication. Heartburn is a common occurrence during pregnancy. Heartburn is marked by a burning sensation in the chest, right behind your breastbone, that happens after eating. It can last a few minutes or several hours. Chest pain, especially after bending over or lying down, and burning in the throat are also signs you're experiencing heartburn. If chest pain is ever paired with shortness of breath or jaw or arm pain, seek medical attention, as you could be experiencing symptoms of a heart attack.
About 80 percent of people with GERD also experience regurgitation, when undigested food and stomach acid move back up from the stomach to the esophagus. You know, that feeling when you kind of burp and get a little taste of your last meal but, like, mixed with puke. Eating large meals, exercising, or bending over after eating can trigger regurgitation.
But it can also happen suddenly. It may also seem bitter, and can cause bad breath. This commonly happens along with regurgitation. Untreated symptoms can cause permanent esophagus damage. Pregnant women usually experience GERD symptoms around the first trimester. It then worsens in the last trimester. The good news is that when your baby is born, your symptoms usually go away. Pregnancy can increase levels of the hormone progesterone, which can cause the muscles of the lower esophagus to relax.
This makes it more likely that acid will reflux. Symptoms include pain that gets worse after a meal and acid regurgitation. Doctors usually avoid prescribing too many medications while a woman is pregnant because the medicine can be passed along to the fetus.
Instead, doctors usually recommend making lifestyle changes, such as avoiding foods known to cause acid reflux and sleeping with the head slightly elevated. Taking antacids that contain magnesium, aluminum, and calcium may be permitted.
In addition to antacids, common heartburn medications that are typically considered safe in pregnancy include famotidine Pepcid. For more severe cases, other medications known as proton pump inhibitors like lansoprazole Prevacid can often be used.
Always check with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medications during pregnancy. The tube has sensors that can detect if acid is refluxing past the esophagus.
Upper endoscopy: This test involves using a special tube with a camera on its end. The upper endoscopy test can help a doctor identify any signs of damage, tumors, inflammation, or ulcers in these areas. Your doctor will usually take a tissue sample known as a biopsy.
Acid from the stomach can damage the lining of the esophagus if GERD is left untreated. This can cause:. The acid can also cause a change in the cells in the esophagus over time.
About 10 to 15 percent of people with GERD will develop this condition. Eating certain foods are known to increase the amount of acid in the stomach, which can lead to symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn.
Avoiding these foods may help to reduce symptoms without taking medications. Examples include:. Also, if you are overweight, taking steps to reduce your weight can help. This includes healthy eating and exercising whenever possible. If you are not exercising regularly, a good goal is to strive for 30 minutes of exercise five times a week. For babies with GERD, a doctor might recommend diet changes, such as adding a small amount of rice cereal to breast milk or formula to thicken it to make reflux less likely.
Holding a baby upright during feeding, and at least 30 minutes after, may also reduce symptoms. Avoiding overfeeding can help as well.
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